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words // Nick Engvall

The tried and true testament to how well a sneaker is designed can come in a number of different ways. Performance oriented shoes, of course, need to perform at high levels, while casual sneakers need a more complicated and hard to target, vote of popularity to be recognized. To me, one of the easiest ways to see how well a casual or sport-inspired sneaker is designed is to take away all the fancy colorways, the “inspired by” stories, and look at two simple colorways. The all black and all white colorways of a shoe, if done right, can appeal to the masses, not just the sneaker enthusiasts and collectors. Two shoes that instantly come to mind are the adidas Superstar and the adidas Stan Smith, both of which, in tonal black or tonal white makeups, could be found in the closet of nearly anyone who owns a pair of sneakers.

Of course, a good design can stand the test of time, which the aforementioned adidas Originals shoes definitely have. However one of the most popular current models, the adidas Originals Roundhouse, is designed with with the current trends at the heart of its inspiration. The Roundhouse is equipped with a semi-high cut ankle and an exaggerated and oversized tongue that is perfect for popping out in front of that latest denim, as well as Soft Cell cushioning for comfort. Up until this all black colorway, the color options leaned heavily into the flashy combos that instantly turn heads and left the more laid back, or less sneaker-obsessed consumer, with not many choices.

Later this summer, the all black colorway you see here, accented with just the tiniest hint of red on the lace eyelets will arrive. It will be just in time for heading back to school, giving you something a little more prepared for that fall weather that seems to dirty up our kicks no matter how lightly we tread. The adidas Roundhouse will be wrapped in leather and suede material and feature the midfoot strap that seems to always be a welcome addition. The exaggerated tongue embossed with the timeless adidas Trefoil logo will give a nod to its heritage like the Stan Smith and Superstar before it, as it looks to become a part of the long list of adidas Originals that are a part of not just the sneaker culture, but pop culture. For an all black shoe, that’s a pretty bright future.